Sentence Correction

J.S. Bach was more prolific in terms of sheer hours of music composed than was any other classical composer, including over two hundred complete cantatas and almost 500 separate works for solo instruments.


A.J.S. Bach was more prolific in terms of sheer hours of music composed than was any other classical composer
B.J.S. Bach was more prolific in terms of sheer hours of music composed than any other classical composer
C.J.S. Bach was more prolific than any other classical composer in terms of sheer hours of music composed
D.J.S. Bach, more prolific than any other classical composer in terms of sheer hours of music composed
E.In terms of sheer hours of music composed, J.S. Bach was more prolific than any other classical composer

my concern: i want to know the nuance regarding the usage of "comma + including". Is it that "comma+ including" MUST refer to a PLURAL NOUN before the comma? i am asking this because just as "SUCH AS" MUST refer to plural noun so must "comma + including" . if i go by that logic then is option C (the proclaimed answer) not violating this rule as "MUSIC" is singular

aditya8062 wrote: my concern: i want to know the nuance regarding the usage of "comma + including". Is it that "comma+ including" MUST refer to a PLURAL NOUN before the comma? i am asking this because just as "SUCH AS" MUST refer to plural noun so must "comma + including" . if i go by that logic then is option D (the proclaimed answer) not violating this rule as "MUSIC" is singular

COMMA + including must refer to the NEAREST PRECEDING PLURAL NOUN.
The following is an OA from GMAC:
The new image of Stone Age people has emerged from the examination of tools found in Germany, including three wooden spears.
Here, including refers to tools, the nearest preceding plural noun.

In the SC above, including serves to refer to HOURS, the nearest preceding plural noun.

Thanks Guru
i realize that options A and B are not so wrong to eliminate them. the answer to this question is C (earlier i had wrongly written as D). can u please tell me as how do we eliminate A and B .i feel that "including" is rightly referring to "hours" in both A and B as there is no eligible "plural noun" in either of the choice

Thanks

aditya8062 wrote:Thanks Guru
i realize that options A and B are not so wrong to eliminate them. the answer to this question is C (earlier i had wrongly written as D). can u please tell me as how do we eliminate A and B .i feel that "including" is rightly referring to "hours" in both A and B as there is no eligible "plural noun" in either of the choice

Thanks

A and B imply the following comparisons:
J.S. Bach was more prolific in terms of sheer hours of music composed than was any other classical composer [prolific], including...
J.S. Bach was more prolific in terms of sheer hours of music composed than any other classical composer [was prolific], including...
In each case, an entire clause in red appears between COMMA + including and its intended referent (hours).
This structure is not viable.
The intended referent for including must be explicitly stated at the end of the clause that immediately precedes COMMA + including.

I would ignore the SC above.
To be profilic means to produce a great amount of work.
Thus, it seems redundant to say that Bach was PROLIFIC in terms of sheer hours of music composed.

The intended referent for including must be explicitly stated at the end of the clause that immediately precedes COMMA + including.

thanks Guru for this point

J.S. Bach was more prolific in terms of sheer hours of music composed than was any other classical composer [prolific], including...
J.S. Bach was more prolific in terms of sheer hours of music composed than any other classical composer [was prolific], including...

Are the colored sentences correct, not considering other parts?

Mitch, explanation plz.

yangayev wrote:J.S. Bach was more prolific in terms of sheer hours of music composed than was any other classical composer [prolific], including...
J.S. Bach was more prolific in terms of sheer hours of music composed than any other classical composer [was prolific], including...

Are the colored sentences correct, not considering other parts?

Mitch, explanation plz.

The colored sentences are incorrect.
As I noted in my post above, the intended referent for COMMA + including must be explicitly stated at the END of the preceding clause, as in the following:
Bach composed many TYPES OF MUSIC, including over two hundred cantatas.
Here, the intended referent for COMMA + including -- types of music -- is explicitly stated at the end of the preceding clause.